!^A 



THE MEASUREMENT OF EFFICIENCY 

IN READING, WRITING, SPELLING 

AND ENGLISH 



By DANIEL STARCH 
The University of Wisconsin 



Published by 

The College Book Store 

Madison, Wis. 

1914 



Copyright 1914 

by 

D, Starch 



THE MEASUREMENT OF EFFICIENCY 

IN READING, WRITING, SPELLING 

AND ENGLISH 



By DANIEL STARCH 
The University of Wisconsin 



Published by 

The College Book Store 

Madison, Wis. 

1914 






The measurement of efficiency in school studies by means 
of objective tests is one of the most needed achievements in 
the interest of the schools. Happily, quite a number of in- 
vestigators interested in the scientific study of educational 
problems are working in this field. This monograph con- 
tains the test material, the instructions for administering 
the tests, and the instructions for scoring the results of the 
tests in four school subjects. These tests have been per- 
formed thus far on approximately 10,000 pupils in forty- 
two schools in twelve cities located in four states: Wis- 
consin, Minnesota, New York, and West Virginia. On the 
basis of these tests, tentative standard scores of attainment 
to be reached at the end of each school year have been 
computed. Any school, grade or pupil may be tested and 
the performance may then be compared with the standard 
curves or standard scores. 

A critical discussion of the technique and the reliability 
of the tests, together with the results obtained thus far will 
be presented in the Journal of Educational Psychology for 
January, February, and March, 1915. The author hopes 
that others may assist in applying the tests. Test blanks 
may be obtained from the author who will be glad to co- 
operate in the use of the tests. and to receive results for 
verifying or modifying the pi^seiit standard scores. 



2^ o,,r« 

^CI.A388714 

DEC -5 1914 

2 ^ / 



d 



I. READING TESTS 

Instructions for Administering and Scoring the Reading 
Tests. 

Giving the tests. Explain to the pupils that they are to 
read silently as rapidly as they can and at the same time to 
grasp as much as they can, and that they will be asked to 
write down, not necessarily in the same words, as much as 
they will remember of what they read. 

They should also be told not to read anything over again 
but to read on continuously as rapidly as is consistent with 
grasping what they read. 

Use for a given gr-e.de the test blank that bears the same 
number as your grade. For example, use number 4 with 
the fourth grade, number 5 with the fifth grade, etc. On 
the next day repeat the test in the same manner but use the 
blank of the next grade below yours, that is, in the fourth 
grade use number 3, in the fifth grade use number 4, etc. 
(For high school and college students, blanks number 8 and 
9, or 7 and 9, may be used.) 

The blanks for the test should be distributed to the pu- 
pils A\ith the backs of the blanks up, so that no one will be 
able to read any of the material until all are ready. Then 
give the signal "turn" and "start." Allow them to read 
exactly tliirty seconds. Then have the pupils make a mark 
with a pencil after the last word read to indicate how far 
they have read. 

Then have them turn the blanks over immediately and 
write on the back all that they remember having read. Al- 
low as much time as they need, but make sure that they do 
not copy froui each other, or turn the blank ovei to see the 
text. Finally have them fill out the spaces at the bottom 
of the blank. 

N. B. Make sure of allowing exactly 30 seconds for the 
reading. See that they all start and stop at the same time. 

Scoring the tests. The speed of reading is determined by 
ascertaining the number of words read per second. This 
can be done very rapidly by having a blank on which is in- 
dicated the number of words to the end of each line. By 
this blank the total number of words read can be deter- 
mined almost instantaneously. Dividing by thirty v/ill 
give the speed of reading per second. 

The comprehension is determined by counting the num- 
ber of words written which correctly reproduce the thought. 
The written account must be carefully read and all words 
which either reproduce incorrectly the ideas of the test 
passage, or add ideas not in the test, or repeat ideas pre- 
viously recorded, are crossed out. The remaining words 
are then counted and used as the index of comprehension. 
The average of the two tests is taken as the final score. On 
an average based on many tests it will be found that about 
seven per cent of the words have to be discai-ded. In many 
papers nothing will have to be discarded. 



No. 1. 

Once there was a little girl who lived with 
her mother. 

They were very poor. 

Sometimes they had no supper. 

Then they went to bed hungry. 

One day the little girl went into the woods. 

She wanted sticks for the fire. 

She was so hungry and sad! 

''Oh, I wish I had some sweet porridge!" 
she said. 

'1 wish I had a pot full for mother and me. 
We could eat it all up." 

Just then she saw an old woman with a little 
black pot. 

She said, ''Little girl, why are you so sad?" 

"I am hungry," said the little girl. 



Name Grade. 

Schcol City _. 

Date 



4 



No. 2. 

Betty lived in the South, long, long ago. 
She was only ten years old, but she liked to 
help her mother. 

She had learned to do many things. She 
could knit and sew and spin; but best of all she 
liked to cook. 

One day Betty was alone at home because 
her father and mother and brother had gone to 
town to see a wonderful sight. 

The great George Washington was visiting 
the South. He was going from town to town, 
riding in a great white coach trimmed with 
shining gold. It had leather curtains, and soft 
cushions. Four milk-white horses drew it 
along the road. 

Four horsemen rode ahead of the coach to 
clear the way and four others rode behind it 
They were all dressed in white and gold. 



Name Grade 

School City _. 

Date 



6 



No. 3. 

Little Abe hurried home as fast as his feet could 
carry him. Perhaps if he had worn stockings and shoes 
like yours he could have run faster. But, instead, he 
wore deerskin leggings and clumsy moccasins of bear 
skin that his mother had made for him. 

Such a funny little figure as he was, hurrying along 
across the rough fields! His suit was made of war 
homespun cloth. His cap was made of coonskin, and the 
tail of the coon hung behind him, like a furry tassel. 

But if you could have looked into the honest, twink- 
ling blue eyes of this little lad of long ago, you would 
have liked him at once. 

In one hand little Abe held something very precious. 
It was only a book, but little Abe thought more of that 
book than he would have thought of gold or precious 
stones. 

You cannot know just what that book meant to little 
Abe, unless you are very fond of reading. Think how it 
would be to see no books except two or three old ones 
that you had read over and over until you knew them 
by heart! 



Name Grade 

School City _. 

Date 



No. '± 

The red squirrel usually waked me in the dawn, 
running over the roof and up and down the sides of 
the house, as if sent out of the woods for this very 
purpose. 

In the course of the winter I threw out half a bushel 
of ears of sweet corn onto the snow crust by my door, 
and was amused by watching the motions of the various 
animals which were baited by it. All day long the 
red squirrels came and went, and afforded me much 
entertainment by their maneuvers. 

One would approach, at first, warily through the 
shrub-oaks, running over the snow crust by fits and 
starts like a leaf blown by the wind. Now he would 
go a few paces this way, with wonderful speed, making 
haste with his ''trotters" as if it were for a wager; and 
now as many paces that way, but never getting on 
m.ore than half a rod at a time. 

Then suddenly he would pause with a ludicrous ex- 
pression and a somerset, as if all eyes in the universe 
were fixed on him. Then, before you could say Jack 
Robinson, he would be in the top of a young pitch-pine, 
winding up his clock and talking to all the universe at 
the same time. 



Name Grade. 

School City >. 

Date 



No. 5. 

Once upon a time, there lived a very rich man, and a king be- 
sides, whose name was Midas'; and he had a little daughter, 
whom nobody but myself ever heard of, and whose name I either 
never knew, or have entirely forgotten. So, because I love odd 
names for little girls, I choose to call her Marygold. 

This King Midas was fonder of gold than anything else in the 
world. He valued his royal crown chiefly because it was com- 
posed of that precious metal. If he loved anything better, or 
half so well, it was the one little maiden who played so merrily 
around her father's footstool. But the more Midas loved his 
daughter, the more did he desire and seek for wealth. He 
thought, foolish man ! that the best thing he could possibly do 
for his dear child would be to give her the immensest pile of yel- 
low, glistening coin, that had ever been heaped together since 
the world was made. Thus, he gave all his thoughts' and all his 
time to this one purpos'e. If ever he happened to gaze for an 
instant at the goldtinted clouds of sunset, he wished that they 
were real gold, and that they could be squeezed safely into his 
strong box. When little Marygold ran to meet him, with a 
bunch of buttercups and dandelions, he used to say, "Poll, poh, 
child ! If thes'e flowers were as golden as they look, they would 
be worth the plucking ! " 

And yet, in his earlier days, before he was so entirely pos- 
sessed of this insane desire for riches. King Midas had shown 
a great taste for flowers. 



Name Grade 

School City _ 

Date 



8 



No. 6. 

In a secluded and mouutainoiis part of Stiria there was in old 
time a valley of the most surprising and luxuriant fertility. It 
was surrounded on all sides by sleep and rocky mountains, ris- 
ing into peaks which wore always covered with snow, and from 
which a number of torrents descended in constant cataracts. 
One of these fell westward over the face of a crag so high that, 
v/hen the sun had set to everything else, and all below was dark- 
ness, his beams still shone full upon this waterfall, so that it 
looked like a shower of gold. It was, therefore, called by the 
people of the neighborhood, the Golden River. It was strange 
that none of these streams fell into the valley itself. They all 
descended on the other side of the mountains, and wound away 
through broad plains and past populous cities. But the clouds 
were drawn so constantly to the snowy hills, and rested so softly 
in the circular hollow, that in time of drought and heat, when 
all the country round was burnt up, there was still rain in the 
little valley; and its crops Avere so heavy and its hay so high, 
and its apples so red, and its grapes so blue, and its wine s'o 
rich, and its honey so sweet, that it was a marvel to everyone 
who beheld it, and was commonly called the Treasure Valley. 

The w^hole of this little valley belonged to three brothers 
called Schwartz, Hans and Gluck. Schwartz and Hans, the 
tw^o elder brothers, were very ugly men, with overhanging 
eyebrows and small dull eyes. 



Name Grade 

School City _ 

Date 



No. 7. 



Captain John Hull was the mint-master of Massachusetts, and 
coined all the money that was made there. This was a new line 
of business-, for in the earlier days of the colony the current 
coinage consisted of gold and silver money of England, Portu- 
gal, and Spain. These coins being scarce, the people were often 
forced to barter their commodities instead of selling them. 

For instance, if a man wanted to buy a coat, he perhaps ex- 
changed a bearskin for it. If he wished for a barrel of molass'eS; 
he might purchase it with a pile of pine boards. Musket-bullets 
were used instead of farthings. The Indians had a sort of 
money called wampum, which was made of clam-shells, and this 
strange sort of specie was likewis'e taken in payment of debts by 
the English settlers. Bank-bills had never been heard of. 
There was not money enough of any kind, in many parts of the 
country, to pay the salaries of the ministers, so that they some- 
times had to take quintals of fish, bushels' of corn, or cords of 
wood instead of silver or gold. 

As the people grew more numerous and their trade one with 
another increased, the want of current money was still more 
sensibly felt. To supply the demand the general court passed 
a law for establishing a coinage of shillings, sixpences, and 
threepences. Captain John Hull was appointed to manufac- 
ture this money, and was to have about one shilling out of every 
twenty to pay him for the trouble of making them. 



Name Grade 

School City _ 

Date 

10 



No. 8. 

The years went on, and Ernest ceased to be a boy. He had 
grown to be a young man now. He attracted little notice from 
the other inhabitants of the valley; for they saw nothing re- 
markable in his Avay of life, save that, when the labor of the day 
was over he still loved to go apart and gaze and meditate upon 
the Great Stone Face. According to their idea of the matter, 
it was a folly, indeed, but pardonable, inasmuch as Ernest was 
industrious, kind, and neighborly, and neglected no duty for 
the sake of indulging this idle habit. They knew not that the 
Great Stone Face had become a teacher to him, and that the 
sentiment Avhich was expressed in it would enlarge the young 
man's heart, and fill it with wider and deeper sympathies than 
other hearts. They knew not that thence would come a bet- 
ter wisxlom than could be learned from books, and a better life 
than could be moulded on the defaced example of other human 
lives. Neither did Ernest know that the thoughts and affec- 
tions Vv^iich came to him so naturally, in the fields and at the 
fireside, and wherever he communed with himself, were of a 
higher tone than those which all men shared with him. 

By this time poor Mr. Gathergold was dead and buried ; and 
the oddest part of the matter was, that his wealth, which was 
the body and spirit of his existence, had disappeared before 
his death, leaving nothing of him but a living skeleton, cov- 
ered over with a wrinkled, yellow skin. Since the melting 
away of his gold, it had been very generally conceded that 
there was no such striking resemblance, after all, betwixt the 
ignoble features of the ruined merchant and that majestic 
face upon the mountainside. 



Name Grade 

School City _ 

Date 

11 



No. 9. 

To an American visiting Europe, the long voyage he has to 
make is an excellent preparative. The temporary absence of 
v/orldly scenes and employments produces a state of mind pe- 
culiarly fitted to receive new and vivid impressions. The vast 
space of waters that separates the hemispheres is like a blank 
page in existence. There is no gradual transition, by which, 
as in Europe, the features and population of one country blend 
almost imperceptibly with those of another. From the mo- 
ment you lose sight of the land you have left, all is vacancy 
until 3^ou step on the opposite shore, and are launched at once 
into the bustle and novelties of another world. 

In traveling by land there is a continuity of scene and a con- 
nected succession of persons and incidents, that carry on the 
story of life, and lessen the effect of absence and separation. 
"We drag, it is true, '"a lengthening chain," at each remove of 
our pilgrimage; but the chain is unbroken: w^e can trace it 
back link by link ; and Ave feel that the last still grapples us to 
home. But a wide sea voyage severs us at once. It makes us 
conscious of being cast loose from the secure anchorage of 
settled life, and sent adrift upon a doubtful world. It inter- 
poses' a gulf, not merely imaginary, but real, between us and 
our homes — a gulf subject to tempest, and fear, and uncertain- 
ty, rendering distance palpable, and return precarious. 

Such, at least, was the case with myself. As I saw the last 
blue line of my native land fade away like a cloud in the hor- 
izon, it seemed as if I had closed one volume of the world and 
its' concerns, and had time for meditation, before I opened 
another. 

Name Grade 

School City 

Date 



12 



STANDARD CURVES FOR READING 



Words 4 
read 
per 
second 3 



SPEED 



i . . I I L ' 



Grades 1 



COMPREHENSION 



V/ords 50 r 
Written 

40 
30 
20 



10 
Grades 1 



r 












^ 








^^ 


^^ 






-j^ 


^. 


---^ 


>'^ 





















Standard scores on which the above curves are based. 

Grades 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 

Speed (words read per second) 1.5 1.8 2.1 2.4 2.8 3.2 3.6 4.0 

Comprehension (words written) 15 20 24 28 33 38 45 50 

13 



II. WRITING TESTS 

Instructions for Administering and Scoring the Writing 
Tests 



Giving the tests. — Explain to the pupils that they are to 
write repeatedly the line "Mary had a little lamb" as well 
as they can and as rapidly as they can during the two 
minutes that will be allowed for the writing. 

Explain also that they are to write continuously and to 
make no erasures or corrections. 

The pupils are to write with pen and ink on ruled paper. 
Before making the test have the pupils write at the top of 
the sheet the name, grade, school, city, and the date. 

When all are ready have them hold their pens up in the 
air and then give the signal "start." Allow them exactly 
two minutes to write over as many times as they can "Mary 
had a little lamb." Both speed and quality of writing 
count in this test. 

If desired, a different sentence may be use insted of 
"Mary had a little lamb." The sentence must not contain 
more than five to seven words which must all be familiar 
to the children. The pupils, hov/ever, must not have re- 
ceived specific previous drill upon it. The sentence "Art is 
long and time is fleeting" has been found suitable. 

N. B. Make sure of allowing exactly 2 minutes. See 
that all start and stop at the same time. 

Scoring the test. — The samples of writing are scored for 
speed and quality. The speed of writing is determined by 
■ascertaining the number of letters written per minute. 
Count the total number of letters written and divide by 
two. 

The quality is measured with the Thorndikee scale (or if 
preferred with the Ayres scale), by what is called the 
ascending-descending procedure. That is, a group of 
thirty or forty samples is taken and each one is graded by 
beginning at the lower end of the scale and ascending until 
the quality is reached to which the sample is judged equal. 
After the entire group has been rated in this manner, each 
sample is judged again by beginning at the upper end of the 
scale and descending until equivalence is reached. One 
should, of course, not know or see what the first measure- 
ment was, so as to have two independent measurements. 
The average of these two determinations is taken as the 
final measurement. 



14 



STANDARD CURVES FOR WRITING 











SPEED 








Letters 90 
written 
per 
minute 70 

50 














^ 










^ 






30 




^^^.^'^^ 


^ 


^ 




1 




10 


■^ 















Grades 1 



Qaalities 1 1 
of the 
ThorndikelO 
scale 

9 
8 



QUALITY 






Gradss 



Standard scores on which the above curves are based 

Grades 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 

Speed (letters per minute) 20 31 38 47 57 65 75 83 

Quality (Thorndike scale) 6.5 7.5 8.2 8.7 9.3 9.8 10.4 10.9 
Equivalent v-«lues for quality on 

the Ayres scale 27 33 37 43 47 53 57 

15 



ra. SPELLING TESTS 

Instructions for Administering and Scoring the Spelling 
Tests 

Giving the tests. — First, have the pupils write the name, 
grade, school, city, and date at the top of the sheet. 

Pronounce the words clearly but do not sound them 
phonetically or inflect them so as to aid the pupils. Give 
the meaning of words that sound like other words of a dif- 
ferent meaning and spelling. The pupils are to write the 
words and to number them in the order in which they are 
given. Allow sufficient time for the writing. 

Each grade is to be tested tvv'ice, once on each of two suc- 
cessive days. Use any one of the six lists on the first day 
and any one of the others on the second day. (When an 
entire school is being tested it may be desirable, though not 
necessary, to use on the first day the same list, say list 1, in 
ail grades and any other list on the second day.) 

In the first grade use the first 4 words of the list, in the 
second grade use the first 65 words, in the third grade use 
the first 80 words, in the fourth grade use the first 90 
words, and in all other grades use the entire list. 

Scoring the tests. — The tests are scored by checking off 
all words spelled incorrectly and then counting the num- 
ber of words spelled correctly. This number is the score 
and also the percentage of v/ords correct, since the lists 
contain 100 words each. An average is taken of the scores 
made in the two tests which is the final score for each pupil. 
Omitted words are counted as incorrect. Words that may 
be spelled in different ways are counted correct if they are 
spelled according to any one of the permissible ways. 



16 



LIST 1. 



1. add 



2. 


but 


3. 


get 


4. 


low 


5. 


rat 


6. 


sun 


7. 


alum 


8. 


blow 


9. 


cart 


10. 


C0U3 


11. 


eaay 


12. 


fell 


13. 


foul 


14. 


gold 


15. 


head 


16. 


kiss 


17. 


long 


18. 


mock 


19. 


neck 


20. 


rest 


21. 


spur 


22. 


then 


23. 


vile 


24. 


afoot 


25. 


black 


26. 


brush 


27. 


close 


28. 


dodge 


29. 


faint 


30. 


force 


31. 


grape 


32. 


honor 


33. 


mince 


34. 


paint 


35. 


prism 


30. 


rogue 


37. 


shape 


38. 


steal 


39. 


swain 


40. 


title 


41. 


wheat 


42. 


accrue 


43. 


bottom 


44. 


chapel 


45. 


dragon 


46. 


filter 


47. 


hearse 


48. 


leaden 


49. 


milden 


50. 


pilfer 



51. rabbit 

52. school 

53. shroud 

54. starch 

55. vanity 

56. bizarre 

57. compose 

58. dismiss 
59.. faction 

60. hemlock 

61. leopard 

62. omnibus 

63. procure 

64. rinsing 

65. splashy 

66. torpedo 

67. worship 

68. bescreen 

69. commence 

70. estimate 

71. flourish 

72. luckless 

73. national 

74. pinnacle 

75. reducent 

76. standing 

77. venturer 

78. ascension 

79. dishallov/ 

80. imposture 

81. invective 

82. rebellion 
83,. scrimping 
8 4. unalloyed 

85. volunteer 

86. cardinally 

87. connective 

88. effrontery 
8 9. indistinct 

90. nunciature 

91. sphericity 

92. attenuation 

93. fulminating 

94. lamentation 

95. secretarial 

96. apparitional 

97. intermissive 

98. subjectively 

99. inspirational 
100. ineffectuality 



17 



LIST 2. 



1. 


air 


2. 


cat 


3. 


hop 


4. 


man 


5. 


row 


6,. 


tap 


7. 


awry- 


8. 


blue 


9. 


cast 


10. 


corn 


11. 


envy- 


12. 


feud 


13. 


game 


14. 


grow 


15. 


home 


16. 


knee 


17. 


look 


18, 


mold 


19. 


part 


20. 


ruin 


21. 


take 


22. 


tree 


23. 


well 


24. 


allay 


25. 


blaze 


26". 


buggy 


27. 


clown 


28. 


doubt 


29. 


false 


30. 


forth 


31. 


grass 


32. 


house 


33. 


money 


34. 


paper 


35. 


quill 


36. 


rough 


37. 


shout 


38. 


stick 


39. 


swear 


40 


trump 


41 


whirl 


42. 


action 


43 


bridle 


44 


charge 


45 


driver 


46 


finger 


47 


. heaven 


48 


. legend 


49 


. motley 


50 


. portal 



51. recipe 

52. scrape 

53. simple 

54. strain 

55. weaken 

56. breaker 

57. congeal 

58. disturb 

59. foreign 
60,. hoggery 

61. meaning 

62. onerate 

63. provoke 

64. salient 

65. station 

66. trample 

67. abstract 

68. bulletin 

69. covenant 
7 0. eugenics 

71. friskful 

72. luminous 

73. opulence 

74. planchet 

75. reformer 

76. thorough 

77. watering 

78. belonging 

79. displayed 

80. indention 

81. mercenary 

82. redevelop 

83. senescent 

84. uncharged 

85. whichever 

86. centennial 

87. constitute 

88. exaltation 

89. invocative 
9 0. personable 

91. strawberry 

92. concentrate 

93. imaginative 

94. mathematics 

95. selfishness 

96. collectivity 

97. marriageable 

98. agriculturist 

99. quarantinable 
100. relinquishment 



18 



1. 


art 


LJXO X O. 

51. 


relate 


2. 


dry 


52. 


season 


3. 


ice 


53. 


single 


4. 


mix 


54. 


supply 


5. 


run 


55. 


weight 


6,. 


top 


56. 


captain 


7. 


back 


57. 


contour 


8. 


bond 


58, 


earnest 


9. 


chip 


59. 


fowling 


10. 


crib 


60. 


inflate 


11. 


ever 


61. 


measure 


12. 


fire 


62. 


palaver 


13. 


gilt 


63. 


raising 


14. 


hack 


64. 


seizing 


15. 


hunt 


65. 


sulphur 


16. 


lace 


66. 


trestle 


17. 


main 


67. 


adhesive 


18. 


more 


68. 


buttress 


19. 


pelt 


69, 


dominate 


20. 


sand 


70. 


exchange 


21. 


tang 


71. 


governor 


22. 


turn 


72. 


manifest 


23. 


wine 


73. 


osculate 


24. 


amuse 


74. 


pleasure 


25. 


blind 


75. 


revising 


26. 


catch 


76. 


westward 


27. 


count 


77. 


traverse 


28. 


dress 


78. 


capitally 


29'. 


fancy 


79. 


extremism 


30. 


freak 


80. 


indicated 


31. 


gross 


81. 


monoplane 


32. 


inlet 


82. 


repertory 


33. 


muddy 


83. 


stimulate 


34. 


peace 


84. 


unlocated 


35. 


razor 


85. 


accidental 


36. 


saint 


86. 


citizenize 


37. 


smell 


87. 


contribute 


38. 


stock 


88. 


expertness 


39. 


swoop 


89. 


locomotive 


40. 


twine 


90. 


prevailing 


41. 


white 


91. 


symmetrize 


42. 


barrel 


92. 


consolatory 


43. 


buckle 


93'. 


incremental 


44. 


cotton 


94. 


penetrative 


45. 


engine 


95. 


superintend 


46. 


flimsy 


96. 


conterminous 


47. 


helmet 


97. 


naturalistic 


48. 


lesser 


98. 


artificiality 


49. 


ocular 


99. 


reexamination 


50. 


potato 


100. 


sentimentalism 



19 



LIST 4. 



1. bee 

2. elk 

3. key 

4. new 

5. saw 

6. war 

7. base 

8. book. 

9. clue 

10. down 

11. fall 

12. flat 

13. girt 

14. hand 

15. iron 
16'. lime 

17. make 

18. move 

19. plug 

20. shop 

21. tear 

22. tusk 

23. w-ire 

24. apple 

25. blood 

26. chain 
27.. craft 

28. drawn 

29. field 

30. frost 

31. guard 

32. jelly 

33. ocean 

34. pitch 
3 5. remit 

36. scale 

37. speak 

38. stone 

39. thick 

40. under 

41. widen 

42. bearer 

43. canine 

44. create 

45. eraser 

46. garret 

47. hollow 

48. little 

49. office 

50. prince 



51. retain 

52. settle 

53. sluice 

54. swerve 

55. withal 

56. chicken 

57. counter 

58. emperor 

59. freight 

60. journal 

61. neglect 

62. passion 

63. reserve 

64. serpent 

65. surface 

66. trouble 

67. affected 

68. calendar 

69. enabling 

70. external 

71. greeting 

72. mosquito 

73. outfiing 

74. positive 
75,. romantic 

76. undulate 

77. adverbial 

78. carpentry 

79. franchise 

80. infatuate 

81. promenade 

82. rigmarole 

83. stripping 

84. vegetable 

85. assignment 

86. comparison 
87,. coordinate 

88. expressage 

89. mayonnaise 

90. recompense 

91. untraveled 

92. consumptive 

93. infuriation 

94. photosphere 

95. terrestrial 

96. horsemanship 

97. regenerative 

98. circumscribed 

99. sculpturesque 
100. verisimilitude 



20 



LIST 5 



1. bow 

2. fly 

3. law 

4. old 

5. see 

6. ache 

7. bead 

8. call 

9. cold 

10. draw 

11. fast 

12. foil 

13. glue 

14. hard 

15. jack 

16. line 

17. mark 

18. musk 

19. prig 
2 0. slat 

21. test 

22. vend 

23. wood 

24. armor 

25. boast 

26. chase 

27. cross 

28. enjoy 

29. flxed 

30. glean 

31. guild 

32. joint 

33. order 

34. point 

35. revel 

36. scorn 

37. spire 

38. strut 

39. three 

40. voice 

41. wince 

42. beaver 

43. cannon 

44. crispy 

45. escape 
46'. gladly 

47. hustle 

48. mallet 

49. oriole 

50. pulley 



51 


. rubric 


52 


. shears 


53, 


. solace 


54, 


. trifle 


55, 


, yellow 


56, 


circuit 


57. 


crooked 


58, 


. enstamp 


59. 


general 


60. 


lateral 


61, 


. nourish 


62. 


, placard 


63. 


resolve 


64. 


signify 


65. 


tabloid 


66. 


unitive 


67. 


approved 


68. 


cerebral 


69'. 


entirely 


70. 


farewell 


71. 


incident 


72. 


mountain 


73. 


parallel 


74. 


prelimit 


75. 


spectral 


76. 


urbanize 


77. 


aggrieved 


78. 


clarifier 


79. 


hydraulic 


80. 


inheritor 


81. 


purgation 


82. 


sacrifice 


83. 


surviving 


84. 


vestibule 


85. 


authorship 


86. 


concoction 


87. 


dirigation 


88. 


federative 


89. 


memorandum 


90. 


regularity 


91. 


abnormality 


92. 


disseminate 


93'. 


insensitive 


94. 


predominate 


95. 


unprevented 


96. 


inarticulate 


97. 


stupendously 


98. 


communicating 


99. 


anthropometric 


100. 


emancipationist 



21 







LIST 6 




1. 


box 


51, 


sample 


2. 


gap 


52. 


shield 


3. 


lay 


53. 


spring 


4, 


pod 


54. 


tubule 


5. 


sex 


55. 


bicycle 


6. 


alms 


56, 


commode 


7. 


bird 


57. 


discard 


8. 


camp 


58. 


excuser 


9. 


comb 


59. 


gravity 


10. 


dusk 


60. 


leaping 


11. 


fear 


61. 


obloquy 


12. 


foot 


62. 


pontiff 


13. 


goat 


63. 


retreat 


14. 


hawk 


64. 


society 


15. 


keep 


65. 


tigress 


16. 


life 


66. 


vitiate 


17. 


mass 


67. 


auditory 


18. 


navy 


68. 


churlish 


19. 


raft 


69. 


erosible 


20. 


some 


70. 


fetching 


21. 


that 


71. 


juncture 


22. 


vice 


72. 


narcotic 


23. 


work 


73. 


parasite 


24. 


aside 


74. 


probator 


25. 


brawn 


75. 


squeaker 


26. 


chime 


76. 


vagabond 


27. 


crown 


77. 


amphibian 


28'. 


equip 


78. 


clearness 


29. 


flock 


79. 


impatient 


30. 


grand 


80. 


intestine 


31. 


hedge 


8i: 


quadruple 


32. 


knock 


82. 


sauciness 


33. 


ought 


83. 


ticketing 


34. 


poppy 


84. 


virulence 


35. 


river 


85. 


bafflement 


36. 


shaft 


86. 


condescend 


37. 


stall 


87. 


disconcert 


38. 


sugar 


88. 


illiterate 


39. 


throw 


89. 


metropolis 


40'. 


watch 


90. 


repression 


41. 


young 


91. 


animalcular 


42. 


begird 


92. 


divestiture 


43. 


causal 


93. 


intrinsical 


44. 


discus 


94. 


prerogative 


45. 


ferret 


95. 


upholsterer 


46. 


gutter 


96. 


interference 


47. 


killed 


97. 


subantarctic 


48. 


middle 


98. 


convocational 


49. 


paddle 


99. 


imperturbation 


50. 


puzzle 


100. 


irresponsibility 



22 



STANDARD CURVE FOR SPELLING 



Perct. 100 
of words 
correct 

80 



60 



40 



20 















^ 










^ 


-^ 


' 






^ 










/ 








i 




/ 


1 











Grades 1 



Standard scores on which the above cu ve is based 

Grades 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 

Percent ge of words correct 10 30 40 51 61 71 78 85 



23 



IV. ENGLISH TESTS. 

Instructions for Administering and Scoring the English 

Tests. 

Giving the Tests. — Give the tests in the order in which 
they are numbered. Distribute the test sheets with the 
backs of the sheets up. Read and explain the instructions 
to the pupils before each test, calling particular attention to 
the abbreviations that are used in each test. Allow three 
minutes for each of tests 1 to 4 and fifteen minutes for 
test 5. 

The pupils should not be allowed to skip about but use 
the material of each test consecutively. 

When you are ready to make a test give the signal "turn" 
and "start." Be careful to allow exactly the allotted time 
and make sure that all pupils start and stop at the same 
time. 

In schools v/here different terminology has been taught, as 
for example for the tenses, the teacher should have the 
pupils use appropriate abbreviations for the terminology 
taught. 

Scoring the tests. — Test 1. Cross off all v-^ords v/hose 
parts of speech are indicated incorrectly. Count the num- 
ber of words correctly designated. This will be the score. 

Test 2. Cross off the nouns and pronouns whose cases 
are indicated incorrectly. Count the number marked cor- 
rectly. This will be the score. 

Test 3. Cross off all tenses and modes given incorrectly. 
Each tense and each mode given correctly counts as one. 
Thus every verb form for which both are given correctly 
counts as two. The total number correctly indicated is 
the score. 

Test 4. Cross off all punctuation marks inserted incor- 
rectly. Count the number placed correctly. Every mark 
counts as one. In case of quotation marks, the one at the 
beginning and the one at the end count each as one. The 
total number inserted correctly is taken as the score. 

Test 5. Check off all sentences marked incorrectly. A 
sentence is considered incorrect if both alternatives are un- 
derscored as right or if the correct alternative is crossed off. 
The total number of sentences marked correctly is the score. 

Keys for scoring these tests may be obtained from the 
author. 



24 



ENGLISH TEST 1. SCORE. 



Indicate the parts of speech in the following text by- 
placing above each word the abbreviation for its part of 
speech. Work as rapidly as possible. Three minutes will 
be allowed. Use the following abbreviations. 

Noun — n verb — v conjunction — c 

pronoun — pro adverb — adv interjection — i 

adjective — adj preposition — pre 

Maggie's eyes had begun to sparkle and her cheeks to 
flush — she was really beginning to instruct the gypsies and 
gaining great influence over them. The gypsies themselves 
were not without amazement at this talk, though their at- 
tention was divided by the contents of Maggie's pocket, 
which the friend at her right hand by this time emptied 
without attracting her notice. 

"Is that where you live, my little lady?" said the old 
woman at the mention of Columbus. 

"Oh, no! said Maggie, with some pity; "Columbus was a 
very wonderful man who found out half the world, and they 
put chains on him and treated him very badly, you know — 
its in my catechism of geography but perhaps it's rather too 
long to tell before tea." 

"Yes, my home is pretty, and I'm very fond of the river 
where we go fishing; but I'm often very unhappy. I should 
have liked to bring my books with me, but I came away in a 
hurry, you know. But I can tell you almost everything there 
is in my books, I've read them so many times, and that will 
amuse you. And I can tell you something about geography, 
too — that's about the world we live in — very useful and 
interesting." 

Name Date 

School Grade 

City 

25 



ENGLISH TEST 2. SCORE. 



Indicate the case of each noun and each pronoun in the 
following text by placing above each one the abbreviation 
for its case. Work as rapidly as possible. Three minutes 
will be allowed. Use the following abbreviations: 

nominative — n possessive — p, objective — o. 
After crossing the gully and walking on through the 
woods for what they thought a safe distance, they turned 
into the path. They were talking very merrily about the 
General and Hugh and their friend Mills, and were dis- 
cussing some romantic plan for the recapture of their 
horses from the enemy, when they came out of the path 
into the road, and found themselves within twenty yards of 
a group of Federal soldiers, quietly sitting on their horses, 
evidently guarding the road. 

"Where are you boys going?" he asked, as he came up 
to them. 

"Going home." 
"Where do you belong?" 

"Over there — at Oakland," pointing in the direction of 
their home, which seemed suddenly to have moved a thou- 
sand miles away. 

"Where have you been?" The other soldiers had come 
up now. 

"Been down this way." The boys' voices were never so 
meek before. Each reply was like an apoligy. 

"Been to see your brother?" asked one w^ho had not 
spoken before — a pleasant looking fellow. The boys looked 
at him. They were paralyzed by dread of the approaching 
question. 

"Now, boys, we know where you have been," said a small 
fellow, who wore a yellow chevron on his arm. He had a 
thin mustache and a sharp nose, and rode a wiry, dull, 
sorrel horse. "You may just as well tell us all about it. 
We know you have seen them, and we are going to make 
you carry us where they are." 

Name Date 

School Grade 

City 

26 



ENGLISH TEST 3. SCORE. 



Indicate the tense and the mode of the following verb 
forms by placing above each example the abbreviation for 
its tense and mode. Work as rapidly as possible. Three 
minutes mill be allowed. Use the following abbreviations. 

present — pr future perfect — fu. p. 

past — pa indicative mode — in. 

future — fu subjunctive mode — su, 

present perfect-^pr. p, imperative mode — im. 
past perfect — pa. p. 

If a verb has the present tense and the indicative mode, 
place above it pr. in. 

I wait. I will have cut. You talked. If you become. 

He will think. If he wished. We have played. Break 

the stick. They had shown. I stayed. If I drink. You 

will look. If you found. He has walked. Do your work. 

We had spun. We cry. They will have run. I will grow. 

If I punished. You have seemed. Wear your hat. He 

has. He had called. We will have slept. If they begin. 

We gave. I have eaten. Seek your pencil. You had 

seen. He spoke. He will have fallen. We will take. If 

we drive. If they drew. You depart. They sell. I had 

flown. They bought. You will have been. They will 

swim. If he go. They have stolen. If we bit. Lift your 

hat. 

Name 

School 

Date 

Grade 

City 

27 



ENGLISH TEST 4. SCORE 

Punctuate the lollov/ing sentences. Work as rapidly as 
possible. Three minutes will be allowed. 

You see John how I stand. 

Next we went to Vienna the capital of Austria. 

Everything being ready the guard blew his horn. 

He did not go to Canada he went to Mexico. 

There are three causes poverty injustice and indolence. 

He asked what caused the accident. 

He was satisfied I suppose with his situation. 

Paris Illinois is a smaller city than Paris France. 

The train moved swiftly but Turner arrived too late. 

When darkness comes the candles are lit. 

I saw no reason for moving therefore I stayed still. 

Regarding questions of good or bad English there are 
several common errors. 

Ever since Betty has loved the flag. 

A faithful sincere friend is prized highly. 

There v/ere blue green and red flags. 

He said that he had lent his neighbor an ax that on the 
next day needing the ax he had gone to get it and that his 
neighbor had denied borrowing it. 

Our national Capitol situated in Washington is a magnifi- 
cent building^ 

But alas this was not the case. 

Mr. Smith the letter has come. 

We visited New York the largest city in America. 

The guests having departed we closed the door. 

The present situation however is very different. 

The case was this I couldn't and he wouldn't. 

He asked what is the matter. 

Apples are not a vegetable they are a fruit. 

Chicago Illinois is a large city, 

I told him but he v/ould not listen. 

If you come bring my book. 

Concerning the election there is one fact of much im- 
portance. 

The president bowed then Hughes began to speak. 

On the path leading to the cellar steps were heard. 

A tall square building is located on State street. 

Last year I studied grammar history and geography. 

When thou goest forth by day my bullet shall whistle past 
thee when thou liest down by night my knife is at thy 
throat. 

Washington Irving whose personality was genial and 
charming became very popular in England. 

Oh come you'd better. 

I like to work he said especially in the morning. 

As in warfare a band of men though strong and brave 
individually is collectively weak if it is not well organized 
so a speech a report an editorial an essay any composition 
though its parts may be forcible or clever is weak as a 
whole it if is not well organized. 

Name Date 

School Grade 

City 

28 



ENGLISH TEST 5. SCORE. 



Each of the following sentences gives in parenthesis two 
ways in which it may be stated. Cross out the one that 
you think is Incorrect or bad. If you think both are in- 
correct cross both out. If you think both are correct un- 
derline both. Work as rapidly as possible. Fifteen minutes 
will be allowed. 

1. A new order of ideas and principles (have; has) been 

instituted. 

2. The captain, as well as the mate and the pilot, (was; 

were) frightened. 

3. Neither he nor she (is; are) here. 

4. The main part of this machine (are; is) the large 

rollers. 

5. Every one opened (his; their) window. 

6. The man (whom; who) I thought was my friend de- 

ceived me. 

7. Send (whoever; whomever) will do the work. 

8. It is (me; I). 

9. She imagined the burglar to be (I; me). 

10. (Who; whom) do you mean? 

11. Both are going, — (he and she; him and her). 

12. He is happier than (me; I). 

13. (Lincoln's assassination; the assassination of Lincoln) 

was a great tragedy. 

14. We left without any (one; one's) knowing. 

15. The music sounds (loudly; loud). (That is, has the 

characteristic of loud music). 

16. He kept it (safe; safely). (That is, through his keep- 

ing, it was safe. 

17. I don't believe I (will; shall) be able to go. 

18. I (will; shall) help you; I promise it. 

19. (Shall; will) you be recognized, do you think? 

20. If they (would; should) find it, I should rejoice. 

21. It was not necessary for you (to have gone; to go). 

22. He left for Pittsburgh on Thursday (arriving; and ar- 

rived) there on Sunday. 

23. Every morning I take a run (and immediately after- 

ward; followed by) a shower bath. 

24. Having come of age, (I took my son; my son entered) 

into partnership with me. 

25. (In; as I was) talking to Smith the other day, he told 

me about the race. 

29 



26. (When I was; when) six years old, my grandfather 

died. 

27. (The storm broke just as we reached the shore; just 

as we reached the shore, the storm broke) with 
great violence. 

28. It is (the handsomest vase I almost; almost the hand- 

somest vase I) ever saw. 

29. (I walked out into the night as the moon rose; as the 

moon rose, I walked out into the night) and wan- 
dered through the grounds. 

30. I went there in order to (inspect it personally; per- 

sonally inspect it). 

31. The fire was built and the potatoes (baked; were 

baked). 

32. He did what many others (have; have done) and 

are doing. 

33. Fostoria :iS as large (if not larger than Delaware; as 

Delaware, if not larger). 

34. He had no love (or confidence in his employer; for 

his employer and no confidence in him). 

35. She watched her grandmother, (aunt, and mother; 

her aunt, and her mother) sewing. 

36. He came home with an increase in weight, but (hard 

work soon reduced it; which hard work soon re- 
duced). 

38. The sheets of tin are laid in rows, (and care is taken; 

with care) that all the sheets fit snugly. 

39. He was only one among many (so; and so) was not 

observed. 

40. The crowd began to wave handkerchiefs and (shout- 

ing; to shout) good-byes. 

41. They would neither speak to him (nor would Ihey; 

nor) look at him. 

42. The life of a hod-carrier is sometimes happier than (a 

prince; that of a prince). 

43. He is the tallest of (all the men; any man) in the 

regiment. 

44. It was so misty we (could hardly; couldn't hardly) 

see. 

45. (There were two hundred; two hundred) students 

went. 

46. (That's all I want, is a chance; that's all I want — a 

chance) to test it thoroughly. 

47. The fact that I had never before studied at home, (I 

was at a loss; made me feel at a loss as to) what 
to do with vacant periods. 

48. I was detained by business (is; that is) the reason I 

am late. 



30 



49. Intoxication is (when the brain is affected; a state of 

the brain caused) by the action of certain drugs. 

50. The difference between them (is; is that) De Quincey 

is humorous and Macaulay is grave. 

51. A different set of knives and forks (was; were) put on 

the table. 

52. The box, including the apples, (were; was) lost. 

53. Oixe or the other of those fellows (have; has) stolen it. 

54. Oak, brass, and steel (is; are) the material of the 

structure. 

55. Each of the suspected men (were; was) held. 

56. (Who; whom) did you say won? 

57. The question of (whom; v/ho) should be leader arose. 

58. Is it (we; us) that you accuse? 

59. The gazette reported (he; him) to be dead. 

60. He helped my mother and (me; I). 

61. He spoke to some of us, — namely (she and I; her and 

me). 

62. I can do it as well as (they; them). 

63. (The benefactor of mankind; mankind's benefactor) 

is honored by all. * 

64. They returned at night without any (one's; one) 

seeing. 

65. It tastes (good; well). 

66. He wrapped it (tight; tightly). (Referring to the 

manner of wrapping) 

67. I feared you (should; would) fail. 

68. You (will; shall) not stir; I forbid it. 

69. (Shall; will) you do the deed? 

70. A man who (would; should) do that would be hated. 

71. I intended (to answer; to have answered). 

72. It is old, (having been; being) founded in 1809. 

73. He was deaf, (caused by; as the result of) an early 

attack of scarlet fever. 

74. There we landed, and having eaten our lunch (the 

steamboat departed; we saw the steamboat depart). 

75. (After pointing; when he had pointed) out my errors, 

I was dismissed. 

76. You must not cut the cake until (thoroughly cooked; 

it is thoroughly cooked). 

77. The ball is thrown home by a player (stationed in the 

middle of the square called the pitcher; called the 
pitcher, who is stationed in the middle of the 
square). 

78. Do you (expect ever; ever expect) to go again? 

79. (He sprang; springing) to the platform on which the 

dead man lay (and shouted; he shouted). 

31 



80. It is impossible (to in any way; in any way to) re- 

move them. 

81. He was a patriot, but all the rest (were traitors; 

traitors). 

82. We ate such a dinner as only laborers (can eat; can). 

83. He is bigger (than Buck and fully as strong; and fully 

as strong as Buck). 

84. I shall ahvays remember the town because of (the 

good times I had; the good times) and the many 
friends I made there. 
85,. I asked what were the names of her puppies and (kit- 
ten; her kitten). 

86. He went to school (thereby; and thereby) improving 

his mind. 

87. On the way we met a Mr. Osborn from the neighbor- 

hood of Denver, (and who; who) had the typical 
western breeziness. 

88. She sat on the ground dressed in a pretty frock, (and 

her dog was; holding her dog) in her lap. 

89. I paddled the boat for a v/hile, (then; and then) fell 

into a reverie. 

90. I mtt many people there whom I had seen before (but 

did not know their names; whose names I did not 
know). 

91. He is (not only discourteous; discourteous not only) 

to the students but also to the teachers. 

92. A fireman seldom rises above (an engineer; the posi- 

tion of an engineer). 

93. He is the richest of (any man; all the men) in the 

city. 

94. They are (allowed; not allowed) to go only on Satur- 

days. 

95. It has no relation (to; as to) time or place. 

96. There were some people (whom; about whom) I could 

not tell v/hether they were English or American. 

97. Any man who could accomplish that task, the whole 

world would (think he was a hero; regard as a 
hero). 

98. He had to earn money (that is; is) the reason he 

stayed out of college. 
9 9. Gravity is (v/hen a stone falls; a force that causes a 
stone to fall) to the ground. 
100. The difference between summer and winter (is that; 
is) summer is warm and winter is cold. 

Name Date 

School Grade 

City 

32 



SIGGKSTED SCORES FOR ENGLISH 

These are based on a small number of tests and are given 
here merely to indicate approximately what to expect. 
Standard scores are now being prepared. 











4th yr. 


Senior yr 








8 th grade 


U.S. 


college 


Test No. 


1. 


Parts of speech 


20 


45 


63 


Test No. 


2 


Cases 


15 


30 


42 


Test No. 


3. 


Tenses and modes 


15 


30 


42 


Test No. 


4. 


Punctuation 


15 


30 


42 


Test No. 


5. 


Sentences 


25 


5 


7 



33 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




